14 PSP games that never were
As the new year begins, let's take a look at some various PSP games that never materialized. Many of these games have been totally scrapped, while others hold on to life support -- will they ever see the light of day?

Devil May Cry
A long time ago, close to the PSP's launch, Capcom announced it was working on a few games for the PSP. One was a game in the Devil May Cry universe. Was it going to be a port of the sublime DMC3? Or would it be something new altogether? Unfortunately, we haven't heard anything about the game since it was first announced so many years ago.
Landstalker
Climax was supposed to be working on a PSP remake of the classic RPG Landstalker. Of course, this was two years ago. Since then, Climax's site has kept its Landstalker-inspired layout. But, that's probably because they never bothered to update the site. Ever.

Elder Scrolls Travels
The PSP take on Oblivion was first discovered in an issue of OPM ... and was never heard from again. Constant rumors of the game being canceled don't bode well for the game. We're pretty certain this game has been killed.

Heartland
David Jaffe's project on making gamers cry never saw the light of day. It was supposed to be the Halo of PSP. Too bad it sucked so much that it was canned (Dave's words, not ours). At least God of War is coming to our system.

Gran Turismo Mobile
Also shown early in the PSP's life, Gran Turismo Mobile was supposed to be a handheld version of Gran Turismo 4. Then, Polyphony Digital decided to work on the PSP GT5 instead, and has put the PSP version on the backburner since. It's supposed to come out after the PS3 GT5, which means gamers will be waiting for at least another year or two before the game comes out (if it ever does). Read more here.

Makai Wars
This Nippon Ichi game had a lot of people excited when it was announced for PSP and PS3. Then it was put on hold. And then it was supposedly "resurrected." We haven't heard about it since, but we're hoping NIS has something more than Disgaea 3 planned for the remainder of the year.

TGM-K
Every system has a Tetris game. This puzzler was announced so long ago, we don't even remember it. Do you?

King of Fighters Maximum Impact Portable
Announced more than two years ago, this PS2 fighter from SNK was supposed to make the jump to PSP. It never happened, did it?

Traxion
LucasArt's import-your-own-music-and-play-it game never saw the light of day. Thankfully beats came along and did everything Traxion was supposed to offer.
Gekido
Back when this game was first revealed, it looked really cool. In fact, it looked so close to being done. Why did this stylish beat-em-up disappear? Check out IGN's surreal interview about the game-that-never-was.

Advent Shadow
The next game in the Advent series was quietly canned when the Xbox-exclusive Advent Rising bombed horribly, forcing Majesco to pretty much give up on big-budget gaming altogether. The original Advent Rising was a bit too ambitious for the team -- filled with great ideas, but low on execution. See the official press release here.
Earthworm Jim
We were excited to play what looked to be a stunning 3D recreation of Earthworm Jim until we announced that the game was canceled. Atari and Shiny left each other in a messy divorce, and only PSP fans are left crying.

Myst
Who doesn't like really, really, really obscure puzzles? The classic PC adventure was supposed to find its way home on PSP via Sega. Guess they decided the US market just wouldn't be interested.

Godzilla Unleashed
In spite of being shown on the PSP, development of Godzilla Unleashed was quietly shoved under the rug at one point. Since then, it's only been shown on Wii and DS, as Atari pretends a PSP version was never really in the works. Too bad.
That's a lot of games that were canned or simply turned into vaporware. Every system has its share of games that never make it past development. We're particularly saddened by the mysterious death of Gekido. But, we're really hopeful that Capcom will make good on a DMC game for PSP. 2008 will be an interesting year, no doubt.
[Via NeoGAF, Portable Video Gamer]

A long time ago, close to the PSP's launch, Capcom announced it was working on a few games for the PSP. One was a game in the Devil May Cry universe. Was it going to be a port of the sublime DMC3? Or would it be something new altogether? Unfortunately, we haven't heard anything about the game since it was first announced so many years ago.
Landstalker
Climax was supposed to be working on a PSP remake of the classic RPG Landstalker. Of course, this was two years ago. Since then, Climax's site has kept its Landstalker-inspired layout. But, that's probably because they never bothered to update the site. Ever.

The PSP take on Oblivion was first discovered in an issue of OPM ... and was never heard from again. Constant rumors of the game being canceled don't bode well for the game. We're pretty certain this game has been killed.

David Jaffe's project on making gamers cry never saw the light of day. It was supposed to be the Halo of PSP. Too bad it sucked so much that it was canned (Dave's words, not ours). At least God of War is coming to our system.

Also shown early in the PSP's life, Gran Turismo Mobile was supposed to be a handheld version of Gran Turismo 4. Then, Polyphony Digital decided to work on the PSP GT5 instead, and has put the PSP version on the backburner since. It's supposed to come out after the PS3 GT5, which means gamers will be waiting for at least another year or two before the game comes out (if it ever does). Read more here.

This Nippon Ichi game had a lot of people excited when it was announced for PSP and PS3. Then it was put on hold. And then it was supposedly "resurrected." We haven't heard about it since, but we're hoping NIS has something more than Disgaea 3 planned for the remainder of the year.

Every system has a Tetris game. This puzzler was announced so long ago, we don't even remember it. Do you?

Announced more than two years ago, this PS2 fighter from SNK was supposed to make the jump to PSP. It never happened, did it?

LucasArt's import-your-own-music-and-play-it game never saw the light of day. Thankfully beats came along and did everything Traxion was supposed to offer.
Gekido
Back when this game was first revealed, it looked really cool. In fact, it looked so close to being done. Why did this stylish beat-em-up disappear? Check out IGN's surreal interview about the game-that-never-was.

The next game in the Advent series was quietly canned when the Xbox-exclusive Advent Rising bombed horribly, forcing Majesco to pretty much give up on big-budget gaming altogether. The original Advent Rising was a bit too ambitious for the team -- filled with great ideas, but low on execution. See the official press release here.
We were excited to play what looked to be a stunning 3D recreation of Earthworm Jim until we announced that the game was canceled. Atari and Shiny left each other in a messy divorce, and only PSP fans are left crying.

Who doesn't like really, really, really obscure puzzles? The classic PC adventure was supposed to find its way home on PSP via Sega. Guess they decided the US market just wouldn't be interested.

In spite of being shown on the PSP, development of Godzilla Unleashed was quietly shoved under the rug at one point. Since then, it's only been shown on Wii and DS, as Atari pretends a PSP version was never really in the works. Too bad.
That's a lot of games that were canned or simply turned into vaporware. Every system has its share of games that never make it past development. We're particularly saddened by the mysterious death of Gekido. But, we're really hopeful that Capcom will make good on a DMC game for PSP. 2008 will be an interesting year, no doubt.
[Via NeoGAF, Portable Video Gamer]









Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Josh @ Jan 1st 2008 8:49AM
Myst on PSP is awesome! I'm from the UK, and brought it when it came out here last year =D
Also, as much as I love PSP, we really could've done with a AAA title like Halo was for the original Xbox, which is what it sounds like Heartland was. Then more people buy the console, more developers put money into PSP games, and everyone is happy! Unfortunatley its a bit too late for that now. However I remember reading an interiew when Jaffe founded Eat Sleep Play about him looking at restarting the Heartland project, so who knows.
Peronthious @ Jan 1st 2008 8:55AM
Trust me, the US market didn't miss much with the port of Myst; it doesn't handle well at all on the PSP. I guess if you're a big Myst fan you'd enjoy it, but I despised the thing.
Alien @ Jan 1st 2008 8:57AM
Yeap , its a shame for Gekido ... DMC and GT Mobile will probably arrive sooner or later , but most from there will never be seen by PSP gamers ...
To bad for Advent Shadow to , I really liked the story of the first one :(
Chaz @ Jan 1st 2008 9:23AM
Wasn't there a RTS game that was being developed, and close to or actually finished, but the company couldn't find a distributer? IIRC it was reported on this site and there was even interviews with the creators. That would have been a better choice for this list than Myst.
Haiddasalami @ Jan 1st 2008 9:32AM
Yes I remember too but could not recollect the name
Kspraydad @ Jan 1st 2008 9:39AM
Galaxy's End:
http://playstation.joystiq.com/category/galaxys-end/
Andrew Yoon @ Jan 1st 2008 11:58AM
PS Fanboy will have new info from the Galaxy's End team soon. Chances are, the news won't be what you were expecting though.
Dreadhead541 @ Jan 1st 2008 1:13PM
Is that good or bad news, Andrew?
Andrew Yoon @ Jan 1st 2008 5:48PM
Hint: Notice how I said PS Fanboy?
Noshino @ Jan 1st 2008 7:34PM
it....moved to PS3?...
merc25 @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:31PM
Well that sucks cause I won't get a PS3 till it comes down to a sane price level(hint: $299 or no deal). It better be able to play on the PSP without a PS3.
1337stra @ Jan 1st 2008 9:14PM
myst has already been released for the Australians.
Chaz @ Jan 1st 2008 9:41AM
Found it from my profile's list of comments I've made.
The game was Galaxy's End http://playstation.joystiq.com/category/galaxys-end/
Kspraydad @ Jan 1st 2008 9:54AM
Or you could have looked at my comment :)
How about Skype for PSP http://playstation.joystiq.com/2007/02/09/is-skype-coming-to-the-psp/
Chaz @ Jan 1st 2008 9:56AM
Ya you must have posted while I was finding the link in my profile.
Haiddasalami @ Jan 1st 2008 10:02AM
sad to see such a great game go down...
Chaz @ Jan 1st 2008 10:06AM
Agreed. I'd still buy it if it were released.
liam @ Jan 1st 2008 10:14AM
deI know this doesnt really match the subject but wasnt we suposed to receive a free wipeout 1 download for our psp when we signed up to playstation store, i remember seeing it on psp fanboy
Alien @ Jan 1st 2008 10:18AM
I didnt received it neither ...
Tristan @ Jan 1st 2008 10:26AM
Hm a few of those are still listed on IGN release date list, they keep getting pushed and pushed. I would love for GT Mobile!!!! I hope they still do release it eventually, well should be better now that they can get those amazing graphics.
What happened to that game that would span like two or three UMD's?
woodstock_15 @ Jan 1st 2008 11:55AM
Let's also not forget Bloodrayne and Star Wars Episode 3 that were supposed to come out, but got cancelled.
punkisnotdead @ Jan 1st 2008 11:45AM
Here is a link to the Portable Video Gamer piece, since you didn´t include a link in the post.
http://portablevideogamer.com/2007/12/poof-seven-promising-psp-games-that-never-made-it-to-market/
Kspraydad @ Jan 1st 2008 12:22PM
Are you accusing Andrew of plagiarizing?
A year end list of vapour ware isn't exactly a unique idea (though it was a good job Andrew).
merc25 @ Jan 1st 2008 4:01PM
To be fair Andrew brought the list to 14, rather than staying at only 7. I had portable gamer confused with pocket gamer, silly me.
EDW @ Jan 1st 2008 11:57AM
i was really excited about Advent Shadow when it was first announced
cafecito @ Jan 1st 2008 1:32PM
I want KOF!! PSP really needs some new fighting games. Traditional gameplay ones... not that Naruto crap.
lorddshadow @ Jan 1st 2008 2:07PM
Was Star Wars Episode 3 really being developed for PSP also? It was a good game despite being kinda hard.
aiko.adonia @ Jan 1st 2008 4:01PM
i still hold out hope for elder scrolls travels
Don @ Jan 1st 2008 4:58PM
These vapourware threads always end up depressing me.
But on the other hand, I like that there is acknowledgement of games like Godzilla Unleashed PSP, that it *WAS* announced despite the spin that it never happened.
Joe @ Jan 1st 2008 5:45PM
A few of these games I was looking forward to and I hope they can still come out.
For Me I really wanted to see what Elder Scrolls could look like on the PSP. The ES games are great and having that series on the PSP would have been neat.
If I am not mistaken DMC was to be a remake of the first game. That would have been cool but I would have liked a new one more. But instead neither comes out.
I would so much have liked to have played Landstalker again. But may be in the new year seeing as the PSP really is doing great.
Gran Turismo I still think will come out seeing as that series will bring in a lot of gamers to the PSP. So I just wonder how much longer before the PSP gets its own version.
EarthWorm Jim would have been fun but it never was that high on my list.
Gekido I was looking forward too. So not seeing that game does suck.
As for Makai Wars I think it will come out soon. Seeing as Disgaea just came out on the PSP and that is one of the best games out there and I think this would be good too.
Also for people wondering about Galaxy's End it might just come out as a downloadable game.
Korlithiel @ Jan 1st 2008 6:24PM
This is missing Black & White Creatures, last I checked there was nothing new for it unless I missed it's release somehow. Man, that advert for it looked so cool too.
Don @ Jan 1st 2008 11:26PM
Nice to see a fellow GAPer here... I'm 1_blue_pixel btw.
Emophia @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:57AM
Devil May Cry PSP...
For the love of God and all that is sacred in this world...
Please come out...
kwub @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:02PM
Myst was no more "canceled" than Tales of Eternia. Just import it, if you're really that desperate to play it. Personally, having downloaded it for a test drive, I have no real interest, seeing as it's basically just a straight port of the original Myst. And that's not exactly a game well-renowned for its replayability, especially given that it's aged rather poorly to boot.
But to each his own, I suppose.
Kade Storm @ Jan 5th 2008 9:29AM
A shame, really. . . I was really looking forward to some of those games. However, weren't we also supposed to be expecting a 'Zone of Enders' on the PSP?